Help - Hard steering wheel pull
03-22-2001, 03:48 PM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Let me preface this one with this:
A mechanic and the dealership can find NOTHING wrong with components or alignment....
I have a 93GXE, 120k miles, Auto Tranny.
Front Struts are new.
Front Springs are original (yes, I know they should have been replaced)
Left and Right half axles are new (broken boot cover).
Front brakes are new.
Here's the problem.
* The car under hard acceleration or if you go thru a small dip on the highway at highway speeds will literllay JERK the steering wheel to the right.
* After the first time it does this, it will jerk to the right for any additional bump, rut or dip that you go over (including the little reflector dots on the pavement)
* Once you come to a complete stop, it does not do it again, unless you accelerate hard, or if you go through a dip in a street or highway while accelerating.
* You CANNOT make it go away by putting the car in Neutral on the highway, then back into drive.
Now then for the interesting part:
* It ONLY does this IF you have someone sitting in the passenger front and both rear seats, or if you have a lot of weight (about 150lbs) in the back seat or trunk.
When did it start?
It started after the right front half axle was replaced.
Thought it was the installation, so the mechanic pulled it out and installed another new one.
The problem still existed.
Thoughts or resolutions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Greg
A mechanic and the dealership can find NOTHING wrong with components or alignment....
I have a 93GXE, 120k miles, Auto Tranny.
Front Struts are new.
Front Springs are original (yes, I know they should have been replaced)
Left and Right half axles are new (broken boot cover).
Front brakes are new.
Here's the problem.
* The car under hard acceleration or if you go thru a small dip on the highway at highway speeds will literllay JERK the steering wheel to the right.
* After the first time it does this, it will jerk to the right for any additional bump, rut or dip that you go over (including the little reflector dots on the pavement)
* Once you come to a complete stop, it does not do it again, unless you accelerate hard, or if you go through a dip in a street or highway while accelerating.
* You CANNOT make it go away by putting the car in Neutral on the highway, then back into drive.
Now then for the interesting part:
* It ONLY does this IF you have someone sitting in the passenger front and both rear seats, or if you have a lot of weight (about 150lbs) in the back seat or trunk.
When did it start?
It started after the right front half axle was replaced.
Thought it was the installation, so the mechanic pulled it out and installed another new one.
The problem still existed.
Thoughts or resolutions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Greg
03-22-2001, 04:01 PM
#2
Okay, so it only jerks to the right and only when it's loaded. Okay now when the car is loaded, it will increase the cv joint angle relative to the wheel/tranny. It's probably not the cv itself because they replaced it. Now this is the passenger side cv correct? If yes, then it's actually two pieces. Tranny to cv support and then from the support to the wheel. The problem could lie in the "tranny to support" area to within the support itself. Did they change the entire piece or just the outer portion?(support to wheel portion)
It actually sounds like a badly worn suspension piece that only shows up when the car is under load(ie very worn bushing/tie rod/kingpin etc) but since you mention the cv joint thing......
Good luck. let us know what it ends up being.
It actually sounds like a badly worn suspension piece that only shows up when the car is under load(ie very worn bushing/tie rod/kingpin etc) but since you mention the cv joint thing......
Good luck. let us know what it ends up being.
03-22-2001, 09:40 PM
#5
I'm 100% sure it's not torque steer.. that only happens under hard acceleration and will pull to the left in our cars (since the left axle is shorter)
My guess would be bad ball joints or suspension bushings.
the stock springs should be fine, even with 120k miles on them.
CV joints/axles shouldn't really do this, but they have been known to cause vibration problems (just like an out-of-balance tire would.. if you have vibrations that don't go away from balancing the tires, then pull an axle and rotate it 180degrees and reinstall.. sounds weird but worked for me)..
then again, it still could be the axles, if they weren't installed properly. (being done at a nissan dealer, that shouldn't be a problem, but you never know. I've seen shady dealers deliberately break parts on your car so you'll have to come back later for more work.)
ummmm, let's see... suspension bushings, ball joints... Strut mount insulators.. at the top of the strut. make sure they are in decent shape. (lift the hood and look at the top of the strut. you'll see a large rubber bushing in there. make sure that's in good shape)
the only other thing I could think of is tie rods.. make sure your right side tie rod is in good shape and not binding anywhere in the suspension travel.
jack up both front wheels, start the car (or not..) and turn the wheel full lock left to right.. see if there's any binding or a place where it's hard to turn..
good luck.
My guess would be bad ball joints or suspension bushings.
the stock springs should be fine, even with 120k miles on them.
CV joints/axles shouldn't really do this, but they have been known to cause vibration problems (just like an out-of-balance tire would.. if you have vibrations that don't go away from balancing the tires, then pull an axle and rotate it 180degrees and reinstall.. sounds weird but worked for me)..
then again, it still could be the axles, if they weren't installed properly. (being done at a nissan dealer, that shouldn't be a problem, but you never know. I've seen shady dealers deliberately break parts on your car so you'll have to come back later for more work.)
ummmm, let's see... suspension bushings, ball joints... Strut mount insulators.. at the top of the strut. make sure they are in decent shape. (lift the hood and look at the top of the strut. you'll see a large rubber bushing in there. make sure that's in good shape)
the only other thing I could think of is tie rods.. make sure your right side tie rod is in good shape and not binding anywhere in the suspension travel.
jack up both front wheels, start the car (or not..) and turn the wheel full lock left to right.. see if there's any binding or a place where it's hard to turn..
good luck.
07-06-2002, 06:35 PM
#6
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 131
Originally posted by Matt93SE
I'm 100% sure it's not torque steer.. that only happens under hard acceleration and will pull to the left in our cars (since the left axle is shorter)
My guess would be bad ball joints or suspension bushings.
the stock springs should be fine, even with 120k miles on them.
<SNIP>
I'm 100% sure it's not torque steer.. that only happens under hard acceleration and will pull to the left in our cars (since the left axle is shorter)
My guess would be bad ball joints or suspension bushings.
the stock springs should be fine, even with 120k miles on them.
<SNIP>
Steering wheel will jerk right and left. Fast, slow, doesn't matter.
Bushings? Could it be Strut Mounts also? Could those effect the steering? Seems more prominent with the new asphalt eaters I just installed from the stock ones.
07-09-2002, 12:46 PM
#7
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 131
Originally posted by Rungi
I'm having similar problems. No alignment trouble. Had it checked.
Steering wheel will jerk right and left. Fast, slow, doesn't matter.
Bushings? Could it be Strut Mounts also? Could those effect the steering? Seems more prominent with the new asphalt eaters I just installed from the stock ones.
I'm having similar problems. No alignment trouble. Had it checked.
Steering wheel will jerk right and left. Fast, slow, doesn't matter.
Bushings? Could it be Strut Mounts also? Could those effect the steering? Seems more prominent with the new asphalt eaters I just installed from the stock ones.
Any questions, have it checked by a "reliable" mechanic. <chuckle>
Good luck,
Rungi
07-09-2002, 08:19 PM
#8
Newbie - Just Registered
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 4
My car too has a tendency to pull both left and right ?? if there is a dip in the road I will know it's there by the pull in my car. I've had it checked a few times, but mechanics could never find anything wrong. I've replace ball joints, put on new tires, had alignments, but still always the same results.
07-09-2002, 09:16 PM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 832
Originally posted by iron400man
My car too has a tendency to pull both left and right ?? if there is a dip in the road I will know it's there by the pull in my car. I've had it checked a few times, but mechanics could never find anything wrong. I've replace ball joints, put on new tires, had alignments, but still always the same results.
My car too has a tendency to pull both left and right ?? if there is a dip in the road I will know it's there by the pull in my car. I've had it checked a few times, but mechanics could never find anything wrong. I've replace ball joints, put on new tires, had alignments, but still always the same results.
Check your rack bushings..and strut mounts.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
lowpost99
1st & 2nd Generation Maxima (1981-1984 and 1985-1988)
7
05-16-2021 11:18 AM
trungg86
4th Generation Maxima (1995-1999)
7
09-04-2015 04:58 AM
sdotcarter
6th Generation Maxima (2004-2008)
2
09-02-2015 09:53 PM